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EISENHOWER HOPEFUL SCIENCE WILL FIND ANSWER TO THE FLYING ROBOT BOMBS

From the July 11, 1944 Edition of Stars and Stripes

Gen. Eisenhower, in an interview yesterday on the Germans’ robot bomb, which he described as a damnable thing, expressed the belief that Allied scientists now studying the weapon might develop more effective measures against it than are now being used.

The Supreme Allied Commander declined to minimize the seriousness of the bombs, especially in their use against large crowded areas. He added, however, that unless developed markedly beyond their present stage the robot bombs were not very effective militarily and represented little more to the enemy than a cheap air force.

A V-1 Rocket is prepared for launch (photo via Bundesarchiv )

Meanwhile, it was disclosed in the U.S. by Maj. Gen. Bennett Meyers, of Material Command, that a complete duplicate of the German robot-bomb launching installations had been built in Florida from captured enemy plans and that an American radio-controlled robot bomb could be launched from it.

Meyers said that though robot bombing lacked the precision contained in the American precision-bombing technique, “if occasion should arise we would use them.”

Aftermath of a V1 rocket attack in London 1944

In his discussion of the robots, Eisenhower compared them in effectiveness with German bomber attacks which, he said, were wild, the Nazis jettisoning their bombs all the way from Land’s End to Dover. The flying bomb was no more effective and a damned sight cheaper, the Allied Commander said.

Evacuation of women and children from London and Southern England proceeded. It was reported that over 50,000 children had been moved out of range of the terror attacks.

Despite robot raids over the week-end, large crowds attended outdoor sporting events. At White City dog track, spotters atop a 108-foot floodlight tower kept vigil and as the alerts were sounded waved red flags to warn of imminent danger.